1 Now when Festus had come to the province, after three days he went up from Caesarea to Jerusalem.2 Then the high priest and the chief men of the Jews made a statement to him against Paul; and they petitioned him,3 asking a favor against him, that he would summon him to Jerusalem; while they lay in ambush along the road to kill him.4 But Festus answered that Paul should be kept at Caesarea, and that he himself was going there shortly.5 Therefore, he said, let those who have authority among you go down with me and accuse this man, whatever there might be in him.6 And when he had remained among them more than ten days, he went down to Caesarea. And the next day, sitting on the judgment seat, he commanded Paul to be brought.7 And when he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood around and brought many serious complaints against Paul, which they were not able to prove.8 Defending himself he said, Neither against the Law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I trespassed in anything at all.9 But Festus, wanting to do the Jews a favor, answered Paul and said, Are you willing to go up to Jerusalem and there be judged before me concerning these things?10 Then Paul said, I stand at Caesars judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.11 For if I have done wrong, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not refuse to die; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.12 Then Festus, when he had conferred with the council, answered, You have appealed to Caesar? To Caesar you shall go.13 And after some days King Agrippa and Bernice came to Caesarea to greet Festus.14 And when they had been there many days, Festus set forth Pauls case before the king, saying: There is a certain man left a prisoner by Felix,15 about whom the chief priests and the elders of the Jews informed me, when I was in Jerusalem, asking for a judgment against him.16 To them I answered, It is not the custom of the Romans to deliver any man to destruction before the accused meets the accusers face to face, and has opportunity to make a defense concerning the charge against him.17 Therefore when they had come together, without any delay, the next day I sat on the judgment seat and commanded the man to be brought in.18 When the accusers stood up, they brought no accusation against him of such things as I supposed,19 but had some questions against him about their own religion and about a certain Jesus, who had died, whom Paul affirmed to be alive.20 And because I was uncertain of such questions, I asked whether he was willing to go to Jerusalem and there be judged concerning these matters.21 But when Paul appealed to be reserved for the decision of Augustus, I commanded him to be kept till I could send him to Caesar.22 Then Agrippa said to Festus, I also would like to hear the man myself. Tomorrow, he said, you shall hear him.23 So the next day, when Agrippa and Bernice had come with great pomp, and had entered the auditorium with the commanders and the prominent men of the city, at Festus command Paul was led out.24 And Festus said: King Agrippa and all the men who are here present with us, you see this man about whom the whole assembly of the Jews petitioned me, both at Jerusalem and here, crying out that he was not fit to live any longer.25 But when I found that he had committed nothing deserving of death, and that he himself had appealed to Augustus, I decided to send him.26 But I have nothing certain to write to my lord concerning him. Therefore I have brought him out before you, and especially before you, King Agrippa, so that after the examination has taken place I may have something to write.27 For it seems unreasonable to me to send a prisoner and not to specify the charges against him.
1 Therfor whanne Festus cam in to the prouynce, aftir the thridde dai he wente vp to Jerusalem fro Cesarie.2 And the princis of prestis, and the worthieste of the Jewis wenten to hym ayens Poul, and preieden hym,3 and axiden grace ayens hym, that he schulde comaunde hym to be led to Jerusalem; and thei settiden aspies to sle hym in the weie.4 But Festus answerde, that Poul schulde be kept in Cesarie; sotheli that he hym silf schulde procede more auisili. Therfor he seide, Thei that in you ben myyti,5 come doun togidere; and if ony crime is in the man, accuse thei hym.6 And he dwellede among hem no more than eiyte ether ten daies, and cam doun to Cesarie; and the tother dai he sat for domesman, and comaundide Poul to be brouyt.7 And whanne he was brouyt forth, Jewis stoden aboute hym, whiche camen doun fro Jerusalem, puttynge ayens hym many and greuouse causis, whiche thei miyten not preue.8 For Poul yeldide resoun in alle thingis, That nether ayens the lawe of Jewis, nether ayens the temple, nether ayens the emperoure, Y synnede ony thing.9 But Festus wolde do grace to the Jewis, and answeride to Poul, and seide, Wolt thou gon vp to Jerusalem, and there be demyd of these thingis bifore me?10 And Poul seide, At the domplace of the emperour Y stonde, where it bihoueth me to be demed. Y haue not noied the Jewis, as thou knowist wel.11 For if Y haue noyed, ether don ony thing worthi deth, Y forsake not to die; but if no thing of tho is, that thei accusen me, no man may yyue me to hem. Y appele to the emperour.12 Thanne Festus spak with the counsel, and answerde, To the emperoure thou hast appelid, to the emperoure thou schalt go.13 And whanne summe daies weren passid, Agrippa kyng, and Beronyce camen doun to Cesarie, to welcome Festus.14 And whanne thei dwelliden there many daies, Festus schewide to the king of Poul, and seide, A man is left boundun of Felix,15 of which, whanne Y was at Jerusalem, princis of preestis and the eldre men of Jewis camen to me, and axiden dampnacioun ayens hym.16 To whiche Y answeride, That it is not custom to Romayns, to dampne ony man, bifore that he that is accusid haue hise accuseris present, and take place of defending, to putte awei the crymes, that ben putte ayens hym.17 Therfor whanne thei camen togidere hidir, withouten ony delaye, in the dai suynge Y sat for domesman, and comaundide the man to be brouyt.18 And whanne hise accuseris stoden, thei seiden no cause, of whiche thingis Y hadde suspicioun of yuel.19 But thei hadden ayens hym summe questiouns of her veyn worschiping, and of oon Jhesu deed, whom Poul affermyde to lyue.20 And Y doutide of siche maner questioun, and seide, Whether he wolde go to Jerusalem, and ther be demyd of these thingis?21 But for Poul appelide, that he schulde be kept to the knowing of the emperoure, Y comaundide him to be kept, til Y sende hym to the emperoure.22 And Agrippa seide to Festus, Y my silf wolde here the man. And he seide, To morew thou schalt here hym.23 And on the tother day, whanne Agrippa and Beronyce camen with greet desire, and entriden in to the auditorie, with tribunes and the principal men of the citee, whanne Festus bad, Poul was brouyt.24 And Festus seide, King Agrippa, and alle men that ben with vs, ye seen this man, of which al the multitude of Jewis preyede me at Jerusalem, and axide, and criede, that he schulde lyue no lenger.25 But Y foond, that he hadde don no thing worthi of deth; and Y deme to sende hym to the emperoure, for he appelide this thing.26 Of which man Y haue not certeyne, what thing Y schal write to the lord. For which thing Y brouyte hym to you, and moost to thee, thou king Agrippa, that whanne axing is maad, Y haue what Y schal write.27 For it is seyn to me with out resoun, to sende a boundun man, and not to signifie the cause of hym.